Opheliac
by BuZZyReCKy
Summary: An Opheliac is one who has "delved into madness", letting their love lead to their inevitable self-destruction. Love doesn't always work out the way the media portrays it, and as the story unravels, you'll see how aptly titled this story is. An ACWW fic.
1. Prologue and Author's Note

**Author's note:**

This is something I wrote from late 2010 to 2011, and it's kind of embarrassing for me to read, but I thought I would post it anyway. I've been meaning to figure out how this site works, so this will be my test story. I will also definitely post more of my fanfics on this site sooner or later, as I have a few stories in progress right now.

Opheliac is a fanfic written off my interpretation of Emilie Autumn's song 'Opheliac', and I have incorporated a lot of that Album into the story's themes. If you don't care to listen to the song, then don't worry, as it isn't important for the story, but if you happen to be an Emilie Autumn fan I'm hoping you will enjoy what I've done with this.

I know the prologue is short, but my chapters are longer, don't worry. My chapters aren't too lengthy, but they're definitely longer than this, so don't worry about that. Also, note that the site I originally posted this on doesn't allow romance (stupid, I know), so although I intentionally noted that Ophelia and Aaron were 'best friends', just know that there are deeper emotions there between the two, haha.

Anyway, thanks for clicking and I hope you enjoy the story!

**Prologue**

Chris sat with the blue, leather book in his hands. He muttered to himself, "Pages and pages… they must have been close. It's no wonder…"

His voice trailed off. It was true that he didn't know the family well, but in one of the entries…

"Wait," he whispered, although he was the only one listening, "… is this the same girl from _that_ incident back in '98? It can't be…" Chris took a mental note of the name in the book and continued reading, his eyes flickering as he sped through the pages. He began skipping pages. _Would any of this even help?_

It wasn't long before Chris flipped to the end of the book, finding the final entry:

_I'm here once again… hopefully for the last time. I really don't know what I'm supposed to do now. How could you leave me like this? How could you think you had the power to know how to keep me breathing?_

_When you told me that one day, things would change… I didn't think that you meant it would be this way. You told me we would always be together, that we could take anything on, and I believed you. Fairy tales are sick, little lies; no one lives happily ever after. Nothing lasts, and no one stayed. It didn't matter if I prayed. Life is nothing to me now, and moving on has a whole new meaning this time._

_Why did I turn to you?_

_I only wanted a hand to pour my heart into. You were one I thought I knew, but I didn't see the lies that grew. I fell for it. I fell, and your arms weren't there to catch me. I ran to you, and you ran away. I've tried moving on. I've tried to forget; I've tried to forget how to feel. I've died to feel alive. I've written words on my skin, trembling and trickling, leaving scars. Lost in confusing emotions, unstable and distressed, my life spiraled down into despair. Everyone told me to move on; everyone said that 'time heals everything.' How could I believe in such a cruel lie? I still love you, and you know that. However, I guess we just didn't value our friendship in the same way. I gave up,_

_and then everything fell into pieces…_


	2. Chapter 1 – Swallow

**Chapter 1 – Swallow**

"_If I had a chance to change my mind I wouldn't for the world…"_

Chris' brows furrowed as he ripped the page out of the book and quickly crumpled it into a ball in his hand. _What did it mean?_He sighed, brushed his hair out of his face and flattened the paper again, reading the last sentence over. He looked around the room; the dusty shelves full of a variety of novels and outdated strategy guides, the dirty clothes left all over the floor, the broken glass… none of it meant anything… or did it? What had triggered the disappearance? Certainly one bad friendship couldn't have been enough to set this off…

Chris tucked the journal under his arm and left the room.

—–—

Aaron looked in the mirror. Back at him, staring with tired eyes, he saw a weary, young man, whose normally cheerful face seemed tired and despondent. Being too tall for the mirror he had on his wall, he was forced to squat as he checked his head, brushing particles of who-knows-what out of his short, black hair. Below him, the normally white tiles of his bathroom floor had dirt and dust spread all over them, and mysterious stains littered both the floor and the walls.

"How long was I asleep?" he mumbled to himself. It didn't seem like long, but the mess of the room said otherwise. He reached for his sink's hot water knob. The water was brown, but he washed his face anyways, leaving the smell of mildew to linger around his nose. Aaron walked out of his bathroom and turned the light on in the adjacent room. The light bulb blatantly flickered, buzzing audibly as it did so. He began to rummage through his drawers, realizing it was quite cold, and he needed to put a shirt and pants on. After doing so, he looked out his window, grinning once he saw the area surrounding his house.

It was snowing, for the first time in what seemed like forever. Snow had always been the highlight of his winters, especially because there were so many good memories around it. However, Aaron's smile faded into a frown as he realized that the most important part of those memories was gone. Ophelia was gone. Sinking back into his earlier gloomy state, he plopped onto his bed, slouching with his head in his hands. Without her, there was nothing he could possibly want to do. But he couldn't stay in his house forever, could he? After thinking it over for a few minutes, he decided that he'd go outside and make the most of the day.

With a loud creak, the wooden front door of Aaron's house opened, and he popped his head out, surveying the immediate area outside of his house. It was much colder than inside the house, and the crisp winter air blew in through the door, causing him to shiver. A few inches of the white powder piled up where they could reach, with a thin layer of it covering the top of his red mailbox. The snow crunched beneath Aaron's feet as he stepped out of his doorway. No matter which direction he looked, the world was unnaturally bright, blinding him with the intensity of the sun's reflections off the white snow and the clouds above. Aaron looked around in wonder. The entirety of the town was covered with the beautiful water crystals. He remembered the first time he saw snow… the first time he saw Ophelia. His heart wrenched again, sending tears to his eyes. Blinking the liquid away to regain clear sight, Aaron turned to his mailbox, which was crammed full of envelopes after being unattended for so long. He brushed the snow off it and opened it, the rusted parts scraping against each other unwillingly. Aaron sorted through the envelopes; the weekly invitations to Redd's shop, the town memos, the farewell letters of people he thought he used to know… He shook his head, seeing nothing of importance, and shut the mailbox a little too hard, making a loud, clanking noise.

"…Aaron?" called a voice from afar. Immediately recognizing Pierce by his gruff voice, Aaron didn't respond, pretending he didn't hear anything. Sure, he was Pierce's friend, but he just couldn't deal with anyone at the moment, especially not someone who acted like an egocentric macho man. He didn't want Pierce to see him crying. Aaron put his left hand to his face and wiped his eyes, though it wouldn't be much help, as he supposed he still looked horrible. "Aaron!" Pierce cried out, "Where have you been, man? I haven't seen you in so long, and I thought you were dead!" The tone in Pierce's voice sounded nonchalant, as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Aaron turned to face him, managing to fake a smile.

"Oh, Pierce. It's you." Aaron said in an awfully cheerful voice. The blue eagle, being dull, took no notice of the palpable distress hidden beneath the masked happiness in Aaron's words, and seemed eager to share his most recent workout experiences. As Pierce talked, Aaron nodded and smiled, but instead of listening, he tuned out, because the bird's mention of the word 'weight' brought up a recent memory.

—–—

"_Just let it go!" cried a girl with long, red hair. Blood emerged from the scrapes and scratches on her limbs, and streaks of makeup ran down her pale face, clearly visible despite the lack of light. Aaron sat beside her, breathing heavily in an attempt to calm himself. Despite the cold air and the autumn leaves blustering with the wind around them, the two sat in a small forest clearing just on the outskirts of the town park, a place both had been fond of growing up. The girl's pale skin was marked with bruises, and her dress was ripped in several places. She wiped her face, smearing blackness near her eyes. With a pleading voice, she said, "Aaron… it's okay. Don't be angry, these wounds will heal."_

"_Ophelia, how could I not be angry? I can't let him abuse you… I don't want to see you like this." Aaron said, almost loud enough to be shouting. His face was red from the rushing blood, and his temper was rising steadily._

"_Don't let your emotions affect your judgment." Ophelia asserted sternly, "I still care about you, I always will, but it hurts me to see you act like… like him. Let it go, Aaron. If you let all the resent and anger get to you; it will swallow you whole. You aren't holding the weight of the world; you can't save me from everything." Aaron clenched his fists and shut his eyes tightly. Ophelia was right, like always. He just didn't want to listen._

"_I can't live like this…" Aaron said, his voice trembling, "I need more than this life… I just can't…"_

"Shh…" Ophelia interrupted, putting her finger to his lips. Aaron blinked in surprise. "I know. It's just that… now is not a good time. I know you Aaron… you have a pure heart. Don't let the shadows swallow your soul. I don't want that to happen. I don't want to lose you." Ophelia whispered. Aaron was calm now, but the emotion in his eyes and the tensing of his face showed the turmoil he was dealing with internally. Ophelia calmly reached down and touched her leg. The blood on her leg had already coagulated and hardened, and her body didn't hurt as much as it did earlier in the day. Silence spun slowly around the two for a few moments, but after Aaron's rage had quelled, he answered her in a grim voice.

_Aaron got up, muttering, "You already lost me…" With his face solemn and downcast, he began to walk away from her, into the darkness of the night._

_Ophelia, wincing because of her wounds as she got up, stuttered in a hurt voice, "A-A-Aaron! Wait…" but it was already too late. He was gone. Stricken with emotion, she dropped back onto the leaf-covered floor, weeping audibly. Having just lost her only true friend, she had never felt more alone._

_Still walking almost blindly in the darkness, Aaron gritted his teeth in anguish after hearing Ophelia's sobs. It had also just begun to rain, drops from the foreshadowing drizzle telling Aaron that a heavy downpour would soon ensue. Aaron wondered if Ophelia would leave the clearing before the storm rolled in. It was a shame he didn't know that it would be the last time he'd ever see her._

_—–—_

"… Hey, are you listening?" barked Pierce.

"Huh?" Aaron answered, his thoughts returning to reality, "Oh. Sorry, I was zoning out. I'm still kinda tired, and my minds not working yet." After saying this, he scratched his head and made a strange face. He was a terrible liar, but Pierce wasn't too bright believed him.

"Yeah, me too… me too… but you gotta stay strong." Pierce told him, while nodding enthusiastically and patting Aaron's upper arm, "Anyways, you've been working out, right? Keep at it, and maybe we'll talk about having a wrestling tournament early next year."

Aaron muttered, "Sure…" and watched Pierce walk off in the snow, his bright orange shirt that was two sizes too small standing out in the frosty, white blanket covering the area. Shaking his head, Aaron began to walk in the opposite direction, hoping he'd find something to take his mind off his troubles.

—–—

Ophelia ran.

And ran, and ran. She didn't even know where she was anymore. It had been raining for two days already. Though water flowed over her like an unavoidable cold shower, her clothes were covered in mud. Sticks and dead leaves dressed her hair from sleeping on the forest floor.

"Aaron!" she shrieked, her voice now hoarse. She continued to navigate through the maze of tree trunks, hoping she'd get an answer.

But she didn't.

Her hair flowed as if there was strong wind as she ran. Her arms and cheeks getting covered in fresh scratches from the stray branches she passed by. She made a sharp right turn without halting, he surroundings looking like nothing more than a rush of greens and browns in her eyes.

"Help me," she prayed, knowing that again, she wouldn't get an answer. So she ran… her two feet were all she had left.


	3. Chapter 2 – Liar

****Note: You may have noticed that some parts of the past chapter were confusing, and you will continue to see things like that as you read. Take note of these things... even if you don't think it will, it'll all make sense in the end.

* * *

**Chapter 2 – Liar**

"_I'd die for you, you know I would…"_

It was pouring ice-cold rain outside; the blackness of the night occasionally flashing with bolts of jagged lightning, which colored the windows of the police department building with a dull yellow. Inside, among the desks and piles of papers, sat an older man, waiting impatiently, staring intently in the direction of the door. On his desk sat a nameplate that read 'Harold Davis, Chief of Police', as well as a few family photos and papers from recent events. The air was wet and almost frosty, and Chris' breath could be seen as he exhaled heavily.

When the door opened, the soaked policeman stepped in, slouching miserably. He looked up, seeing his boss, and he walked towards him, leaving footprints of liquid on the dingy floor.

"What happened with the missing persons report?" inquired Harold, who didn't notice the mood of his employee.

"…No progress today." Chris told him, "I think there isn't much more we can do." Harold sighed, knowing that no one would be able to survive the weather at this time of the year. How could anyone be stupid enough to run out into the forest in the middle of a storm? Chris took off his drenched uniform and threw it onto a nearby chair, though it didn't matter, as even his undershirt was wet.

Seeing this, Harold spoke, "You should get home before you catch a cold. We'll figure this out tomorrow." With a nod, Chris grabbed his things and walked back out the door. Harold was alone now, and he got up, deciding to close up for the night. Now worried, he mumbled to himself, "When will the family find their child and realize that all that is left is a corpse?"

—–—

"_Welcome to Shalott!"_

"Huh?" Aaron blurted. He turned around to see that a masked horse had come up to him. The horse was giggling to herself with an unnaturally high voice. She held a large net over her shoulder, and Aaron feared she would hit him with it.

"_I'm Victoria, the bestest at catching those icky bugs!" she stated excitedly, "What brings a handsome young fellow like you to a boring town like this?" Aaron, who was normally pessimistic, took a step back, being scared by the cheerfulness that emanated from her._

_He explained, "I just moved here a few days ago, and Nook sold me the house by the northern pond. I guess that after all my unpacking, I finally had some free time… so I decided that it would be a good idea to walk around town to see new faces and things." Now realizing that he was babbling, Aaron shut his mouth. Victoria simply smiled and bounced as if she had too many sodas the night before._

"_That's nice. Have you seen the Tower of Shalott? It's a landmark that just put our town on the map."_

_Aaron wanted to say, "Do I care?" but instead he just nodded and told her that he already did. It was technically impossible not to see, as it reached up so high that you could see its silhouette from miles in any direction._

_With that, the ecstatic horse returned Aaron's smile and toddled off, probably in search of a banded dragonfly. Aaron watched her go; surprised she left suddenly, abruptly ending their conversation. Aaron then continued his walk around town, meeting a few of his new neighbors and visiting the town's shops. He then decided it would be a good time to go home and rest, as he could continue later, but there were more important things he could be doing. Aaron ran back to his house, got into the bed, left his things at his desk, and checked one last time to make sure his electronics were plugged in._

_It was time to get some fresh air._

_—–—_

The rain was getting to Ophelia.

She shivered and tried to shelter herself beneath a tree. Her feet ached, too tired to carry her any further. The water fell relentlessly, just like her tears. It showed no mercy to her frail body. Where she was, she did not know. Internal pain came, but it was just her stomach, twisted ferociously as it growled in hunger.

It wasn't long before Ophelia felt her knees wobble, and her body succumbed to gravity, pulling her down into the mud. She rested her head on her hands and closed her eyes. Her entire body was shaking… she did not know how much longer she could last in the cold.

"Aaron…" She whispered, "I'm sorry…"

—–—

_Aaron, early in his teen years, sat at his dusty computer, playing games. Empty cans of Coke and Mountain Dew were scattered beneath him, and his eyes were red from staring at the screen for such a long period of time. A soft knocking sound came from the doorway nearby, and Ophelia entered, her pale face still beautiful without the layers of makeup she'd use in the near future. She appeared somewhat angry, but she was more impatient than she was mad._

"_Aaron, we were supposed to go to the movies over an hour ago! What are you doing anyways… aren't you a little too old to be playing games?" she shouted, a little too loudly. Aaron blushed in embarrassment, but he continued with what he was doing, not even glancing at his friend._

"_Since when was there an age limit for playing video games?" he asked, still staring intently at the screen._

"_Since when was a video game more important than me?" Ophelia retorted with a playful voice._

"_Never." Aaron answered, and he pressed the Alt and F4 keys on his keyboard, closing his game. Getting up from his seat, causing clattering as he knocked over empty soda cans, he said, "I'll go change and we can leave in a few minutes." Ophelia stayed where she was, waiting as Aaron ran to a back room to get ready._

"_Hey!" Ophelia called, "When did you ever start sitting like a zombie at the computer anyways? I always thought of you as the sportsy, outdoorsy type."_

_Aaron hollered back, "Are those even words? Besides, video games are fun. They kinda give me an escape from life, and even you know how horrible life can be." Aaron came back out of his room with fresh clothes on, and he asked, "So, what movie are we going to watch?" Ophelia shrugged and slapped his face before he could react._

"_That's what you get for making me wait!" she told him in an exaggerated, faked angry voice. The two chuckled as Aaron touched his cheek in instinct to the slight pain, and they walked out of the room._

_—–—_

Aaron didn't know why those two memories popped up so suddenly, but he felt warmth in his heart, despite the snow around him. It was those innocent childhood days with Ophelia that he missed the most.

A sudden gust of wind blew snow onto him, and he wrapped his arms around himself, but he continued walking. Town hall was beginning to visibly show through the falling snow, and he knew that he'd be able to talk to Pelly soon. She'd understand what he was going through, and her advice always meant a lot to him.

And then, yet another bad memory resurfaced.

—–—

"_Don't play these games with me, I know you don't care about my happiness. You're only selfish, selfish and needy. Stop it Aaron. Stop trying to give me advice and stop trying to tell me what to do. Just…"_

The tone in Ophelia's voice was like a blow below the belt. Of course, she was mistaken, but Aaron wondered, how could she believe such things? No sounds but sniffles came from Aaron; he sat in his chair with his head drooping, not knowing how or why he got himself into this. Did he have to bring up his disapproval, or was Ophelia right? No, she couldn't possibly be right. Why did she have to be so foolish?

"_Aaron, things aren't the way they used to be… I know you might not like who I've become, but you have to deal with that or leave. Don't make me choose for you." Ophelia said, sadness strongly surging through her voice. She suspired and tried to make eye contact with Aaron, but he wouldn't look up. Running her fingers through her hair in distress, she continued, "I know we've known each other for awhile now, but that gives you no right to try and stop me from doing what I want. You've already made your feelings about this clear, and I don't need to hear it again and again. This is my life, and I don't care how shitty yours was, you can't ruin mine… I won't let you."_

Aaron winced with those last words as if he was in pain, "Ophelia…"

"_Don't 'Ophelia…' me!" the mad girl snarled, now getting up, "You can't win me over with your pleading eyes and pathetic voice anymore. I'm not stupid, I know your tricks."_

"_Stop it Ophelia." Aaron said, "You keep trying to push me away, but I won't forgive myself if I stood idle and watched you lose everything." Ophelia looked away, pretending she heard nothing that he said. She said nothing, so Aaron continued, "You know I care about you. I would die if anything happened to you."_

"_Liar!" she roared, "You wouldn't give a shit!" Her face turned dark red with fury, and she stormed out of the room._

If only she knew that Aaron was right.


	4. Chapter 3 – I Want My Innocence Back

**Chapter 3 – I Want My Innocence Back**

"_I demand you put my heart back in my hand, and wipe it clean of the mess you've made of me…"_

Now nearing town hall, Aaron saw that it was being set for Christmas; colorful lights twinkling, strewn across the building. He sighed. It seemed like it had only been Christmas yesterday, as time recently seemed as if it flew so quickly. Maybe that was all just a part of growing up. Aaron began to hum nervously as he got closer. Was this really what he wanted to do? Did he really want to try to solve these problems? Lost in thought, he finally reached his destination. Besides the Christmas lights and the snow, town hall looked no different than it did on the day he first moved in, which was an odd but trivial fact, so he pushed it out of his mind. Someone had crudely built a snowman by the bulletin board, and it hid the cluttered papers from Aaron's view, which he wanted to see for once. The snowman's head was too large for its body, and small pieces of gravel decorated it like freckles. Aaron went up to talk to it, but it sat lifelessly with its black, rocky grin, as if it was teasing him. He laughed quietly at himself for thinking it was possible to talk to snowmen, and he walked up to town hall's door. Just as he reached for the doorknob, it twisted, and a white dog ran out, knocking Aaron over.

"Oh my, I'm sorry Aaron!" she exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hands in embarrassment. Aaron had fallen on his bottom, potentially receiving bruises from the floor, which was composed of hard stones.

"No, it's okay Daisy," Aaron answered reassuringly, "but they really do need to do something about these rocks." Aaron began rubbing his hips in hopes to ease the slight pain, and Daisy held out her paw to help him up, "Victoria was right, they are sharp, and this time they damaged something other than her new shoes." Aaron smirked as he said this, and Daisy chuckled at his joke. She knew it was mean to tease others, but it was too funny to ignore.

Aaron grabbed her paw and she strained herself, helping him up onto his feet. "So… it's been awhile since we last talked." Daisy said in a serious tone, as if she wanted Aaron to say something.

Aaron subtly nodded and replied, "Yeah… nice seeing you again." Aaron stuck his hands in his pockets, feeling awkward. Daisy wanted to talk more, but he wanted to leave. He leaded against the building and waited, hoping Daisy would leave sooner than she intended to.

Not being the response Daisy wanted, she frowned and continued, "Aaron, what's wrong?" Aaron looked away, not wanting to reply. Daisy watched him stand in silence, and snow continued to fall, causing speckles of white to make patterns on his clothing and hair. He didn't respond, so Daisy spoke again, "Unless you were taking things to recycle, there is nothing else you could be doing at town hall besides talking to Pelly. I know you well enough, and your red eyes aren't making it any easier for you to hide what you have on your mind."

Aaron continued to look away, verbalizing his thoughts, "Just never mind." He locked his hands together, and Daisy noticed how tense his arms were, his muscles shaking, but his arm barely moved an inch. Something big must have happened to make him uneasy in this way, and she knew he would feel better if he talked, but he was reluctant to.

Daisy started putting words into his mouth, "This is about that human girl again, isn't it…"

"It is… but this time it isn't the same childish problems it used to be…" Aaron said, "It's that…" Aaron stopped mid-sentence, and Daisy saw that his emotional state was worsening. She decided that she would let him go. Pelly would probably make things better anyway, so there was no point in her trying to get him to open up. However, he would have to give her an explanation for everything later. Yes, he would definitely have to.

"Aaron…" Daisy suggested, "I'd like to help you, but I think you should go now." Aaron seemed like he wanted to say something else, but he acquiesced with a nod and headed to the door, forgetting about wanting to check the bulletin board completely. Daisy halfheartedly smiled and started her long walk home, with a bad feeling rising in her stomach. Aaron halted before entering, and he watched Daisy walk off until only the colors of the rectangles on her dress could be seen indistinctly through the flurry.

—–—

_The nerves in Aaron's leg danced as the carefully guided blade glimmered while he stroked his leg with it, writing his name in scarlet as the warmth escaped him. It hurt, and he gasped, savoring the feeling of pain. It felt… great. He felt alive. Aaron didn't know why he was doing this, or how self-mutilation could have ever made him feel happy, but other closed wounds on his arms and legs counted the number of times he had done it before. It was an addiction he couldn't shake; yet he didn't know why he kept going back to it._

_And no one knew._

_There was a reason for his long pants and jacket, which he constantly wore, even in the summer. And the only other evidence of his actions was dripping down his leg and into the bathtub, nothing a shower couldn't wash away. After he had enough, he stood and turned the silver handle clockwise, sending scalding hot water down upon his body. His leg burned with a greater intensity, but he enjoyed that. The red flow of life ceased its emergence, and its last traces were taken down the drain, the pure white acrylic returning to its original state, unstained._

_When did life become this hunger for the grave?_

—–—

Ophelia opened her eyes.

How did she survive the night? She couldn't see a single thing. Her vision, already blurred, was hindered further by the rain.

It was still raining?

She grumbled to herself. Still seated, Ophelia was leaning against a tree. Droplets of frigid water continued to hit her skin like bullets, piercing the warmth of the little hope she had left. There was no use in walking anymore… her legs were still exhausted and she was lost, lost and alone. The cold was getting to her.

"I wonder if Aaron's cold, wherever he is now…" she thought aloud. Why she cared about Aaron after what had happened earlier, she did not know. It was his fault she was out here in the first place… well mostly his fault anyway. Her stupidity and poor decision-making was also to blame. It was cold enough to be snowing, she was lost, and all she could think about was that dumb boy? She chuckled at that thought, suddenly feeling apathetic. She wanted to get up and find her way home, but her shivering and drowsiness kept her from that.

She decided she'd get up soon, but her eyes were slowly closing. Leaning back, she returned to sleep again, giving up on fighting the fatigue.

"This isn't a dream, Ophelia. Don't give up… pinching yourself awake won't save you from the nightmare this time." she told herself, but she couldn't help but close her eyes and pretend it was all in her head. Why did she ever run out here in the first place?

Why did she care?

—–—

The inside of town hall was the same as it always was; too much brown, cluttered envelopes, the lazy old turtle sleeping in the back, and Pelly busily tending to everything as she bustled about. As Aaron entered, the bell on the door jingled, and Pelly looked up.

"Aaron?" she asked, as if she was unsure if it was truly him. Solemnly, Aaron looked to her with his thoughts written in the expression he had on his face. "I guess… we need to talk?" Pelly asked rhetorically, putting the papers in her hands down and motioning Aaron to come behind the counter. He walked over to where she had taken two chairs out, and sat across from his old friend. Pelly hadn't changed after all this time, but Aaron was like a completely different person. She casually questioned him, "So… what's been happening while you were gone?"

Aaron replied painfully, "Terrible, terrible things. I don't think I should talk about them…"

"You know you'll feel better if you do. It's okay, I have the time." Pelly glanced over to Tortimer, who was still snoring comfortably in his massage chair. Honestly, why did he get paid so much for sleeping?

"Okay…" Aaron said. Faint crinkles appeared on his weathered face as he frowned, and there were bags beneath his eyes. Pelly knew something was wrong as soon as he walked through the door, and she was right… though it was much worse than either could have imagined. Aaron began to explain, "Well… you know Ophelia, right?"

Pelly nodded, "The girl you always talked about? Yes."

"Well… it's not that she's done anything this time… well, not exactly. It's that… she's gone. I don't think I'll ever see her again…" Aaron began to tear up, for what seemed to be the hundredth time already.

"Aaron… I…" Pelly began to say, "I know this might be… hard for you to accept, but I also know that you will forgive me for saying this. I am sort of like your mother after all." Aaron waited silently for her to continue. Pelly could see sadness spilling from his eyes, and she almost didn't want to say what was on her mind, but she did, "I could be sympathizing and trying to cheer you up, but that isn't what I should be doing. I should be helping you fix your problems. You see… there isn't much time left. The sand in the hourglass is running out, and you have to be strong. Aaron, you have to stop. Stop running from your problems. Stop letting your heart cloud your judgment." Aaron let the words sink in, but he showed no response. Pelly felt badly that she spoke so bluntly, but it had to be done, "I'm not going to be here much longer… and you can't always come to me to fix everything, you have to learn to let go."

Didn't people say the same things to him over and over? Why was he still trying to go against what he was told? "Pelly," Aaron said, "How can I learn to let go?"

"You can't learn… you just have to do it. What you are doing right now is foolish. Please… just get a grip of yourself and stop this delusional mentality."

"What if I can't?" Aaron blurted, worried, knowing that he wasn't one to just 'do' things. How could he shake himself from this?

Pelly's face suddenly lit up as an idea struck her. "Well…" Pelly answered, suddenly seeming hopeful, "there's always the Tower of Shalott."

A look of confusion appeared on Aaron's face, "The Tower? I thought that was just a relic of historic importance. What could it possibly do for me?"

"There is more to the tower than that. It has more significance to you than either of us know. You see… it didn't even exist until you came here."

"… Is that possible?" Aaron said, bewildered.

"In a way. You see… there have been other towers before ours, in other places and times of the universe. Legend says that these types of towers are connections between the physical world and that of the mind… there is something… supernatural about all of this. I think that you'll find something there to help you."

Aaron seemed skeptical at first, but after a few minutes of thinking it over, he said, "I'll go." He slowly got up, but Pelly continued to talk, after realizing what his decision meant about her, and about everything.

"Wait. You realize… this means goodbye, right?" she stated grimly. Aaron turned back immediately in shock.

"What?" he gasped, "What do you mean?" Aaron looked into Pelly's eyes as if she was trying to deceive him, though he knew she'd never do that. Still, the faint look of suspicion showed on his face.

"No one comes back. If you enter the tower… you'll never return."

Aaron shook his head, "No, that isn't right. I'll return, I promise." With that, he bowed slightly and walked to and out the door. He felt considerably better after the talk, even though Pelly had only told him things he already knew and tried to deny. The door closed behind him, and Pelly stared blankly at it for a few moments.

"Aaron…" she whispered, "don't you realize that if you return, it'll mean you failed to save yourself?"

—–—

Ophelia screamed, but noise didn't escape her mouth. How could this be happening again? Was it a dream? No, it wasn't a dream.

_Her voice echoed through her ears, "Put that down, you shouldn't be drinking that … what are you doing? I'm not a toy … don't hurt anyone, Justin…" She wanted to scream, 'Shut the fuck up!' at the top of her lungs, but it would be pointless. They were nothing more than mere thoughts, memories… strong enough to make her head burst. The reason why every relationship she had with a man ended up like this, she didn't know. She put those thoughts aside and opened her eyes. Was she really where she thought she was?_

_Nothing but blackness met her eyes, but she smelled something familiar, though she couldn't put a name on it. It was as if her mind was trying to shield her from the truth. Her assumptions were correct; she was in her room. She knew the feeling of her bed and her covers well enough to tell, even without sight._

_Then she heard it. Breath, but not her own. Someone was in the room with her, and the speed of the breathing she heard told her that whoever was there was awake. Ophelia's heartbeat quickened in her fear, but she remained still, lying in her bed uncomfortably._

_A voice came from her left, "Babe, you up? Sorry for waking you, but I needed a place to sleep. You don't mind, right?" There were movements somewhere from Ophelia's left, as well as the smell of cheap beer coming from the man's body and mouth. He was intoxicated, and Ophelia knew not to argue with him at times like these._

_Ophelia heard sliding sounds and footsteps, "Justin?" she asked, "Where are you going?" The footsteps stopped, and this time, the voice came from the foot of the bed._

"_I'm not going anywhere… I have surprise for you," he told her, and he lifted the covers as he climbed over her. Ophelia, still naive, was confused at first, but shortly after she realized what he was doing._

"_Stop." she said timidly, but she was ignored. Ophelia struggled and tried to push him off her, but he held her down with force. "What are you doing?"_

"_Relax… this will feel good, I promise." Justin whispered into her ear, after a light kiss. He was right, but also wrong. Very wrong. Ophelia's struggles and pleas stopped as Justin expected… he knew he'd get his way. Ophelia shut her eyes tightly, telling herself, "It's only a dream… it's only a dream…"_


	5. Chapter 4 – Misery Loves Company

**Chapter 4 – Misery Loves Company**

"_Did you care if it was wrong?__"_

_-The Tower of Shalott, Ground Floor-_

The walk to the tower was longer than Aaron anticipated, only meaning the tower was also a lot larger than he initially expected it to be… not that it mattered anyways, as he'd already have to climb countless floors to reach the top. Though he took a break beforehand, he feared he lacked the energy to ascend something as sky-scraping as the tower.

The tower was embedded into the cliff surrounding the town, and as Aaron walked around the portion jutting out, he saw nothing but a wall of aged stones. He wasn't sure if the putative saying, 'moss only grows on the north side' was true, but the entire wall was covered with green growth, potentially hiding the tower's entrance. Aaron could have started scraping it off, but that would've been a waste of effort. What if the entrance was from the cliff, a floor above him? He figured he could check one last time, so he scanned the wall once more, trying to be hopeful. This time around, something seemingly insignificant caught his eye, and he removed the moss to reveal the rest of what looked like nothing more than a random etching in the stone.

Let go.

Let go. That was all it said. It could have meant anything, it could have been a coincidence, but Aaron believed otherwise. It was a sign… he knew it was, but how could a few words scratched into a wall help him? Aaron tried pushing and pulling the rocks, but they didn't budge. It wasn't a way in.

Though it may have ended up being hopeless, Aaron continued to rid of the greens, praying that they would be concealing more than rocks. His fingers received small abrasions and his arms tired of the repetitive motions, but even after removing about a foot in every direction, he found nothing of significance.

Let go.

Aaron considered giving up. Did he even have to go to the tower?

Let go.

Suddenly, it dawned upon Aaron; the meaning of the words in the stone seemed so clear. Enlightened, he scrutinized the surrounding area. With a different attitude, he stuck his hand out and covered the words with his palm. As if it were magic, the stones caved in and created an opening into the tower, and Aaron obviously knew the force his hand exerted upon the wall was nowhere near the strength required to do such a thing. This supernatural occurrence raised the hairs on the back of Aaron's head; it was uncanny that the tower appeared to be able to detect the thoughts and feelings within him. Could the tower really be sensing these things? Aaron felt a wave of coldness run through his body, but that was probably just because of the snow. "Why am I scared?" he asked himself, "It's not like the wall is alive… it's just a bunch of stones."

In Aaron went… curious, but also scared. Something about all of this didn't… feel right. A worried thought crossed his mind, but he ignored it, forcibly pushing it out of his consciousness… though he did not realize that he was doing it.

Aaron crawled through the breach in the wall. When he saw the interior, he stood like a statue, staring silently in amazement. He was in a large, circular room, vast but dull. The lack of objects in the room, as well as the lack of variation, made Aaron feel uncomfortable. The room itself seemed suspicious, and Aaron felt as if he should have exited rather than loitering near the entrance. Unlike the exterior, the single wall going around the room was smooth, as was the ceiling and floor. The entire room was dull gray in color, and it was empty besides a small paper crumpled at its center. Stairs that were carved out with the wall rose from the ground and met the ceiling, running along the side of the tower, curving with it and likely spiraling all the way up to the top.

"There's something… wrong about all of this…" Aaron thought. A shiver trickled down his spine, but he couldn't identify the cause of the feeling. There was nothing else he could do, so he walked to the room's center and picked up the paper lying there. It might have been nothing important, but he unraveled it anyways. At the exact moment he did so, he heard rumbling noises, and his only way in and out was blocked, as if picking the paper up triggered the rockslide. The paper appeared to be blank at first, but Aaron looked closely and found words in tiny font, printed at its center.

Let go.

Aaron stared at the words with a look of emptiness on his face. The redundancy of this brief message caused him to bite his lip in annoyance. What was the point of having a useless paper here anyways? He crumpled the paper and shoved it into his pocket, frustration showing in the tensed muscles on his face. Glancing back and seeing that there was no way it could be possible to clear the walks blocking his exit, Aaron hesitantly went to and ascended the stairs. He didn't want to, but it couldn't be helped. It was his only option.

—–—

Ophelia's body quivered weakly, and for the second time, she awoke in the midst of a storm. The forestry around her was still, with no sound but the constant splattering of water on leaves. Her eyes opened slowly. For the excess amount of sleep she had gotten, the weariness that caged her body into inactivity was immense. However, as tired as she felt, she knew she could not sit idly for a moment longer.

Ophelia braced herself with her weakened arms and tried to get up on her feet. Struggling to lift her body, her arms buckled under the weight of her body. She exhaled in dismay; she couldn't get up. It was still cold, and everything was drenched to the point where the ground couldn't take in any more water. A slurry of dirt and rocks in the rainwater rose, coloring her clothing brown. Again, she attempted to get up, only to fall back into the flooding mud.

Ophelia sighed. At least she wasn't hungry anymore, but she feared that her loss of the desire to eat couldn't be a good sign. Ophelia's worries caused her to tremble even more. Would this place be where she took her last breath before the storm took her life?

Ophelia shook her head, "No. You can make it, you're going to see Aaron again." she told herself, hoping she'd feel better. Something made her want to give up, but she kept telling herself that she couldn't. She wanted to go back to sleep, would that be so bad? Her eyelids fluttered, and they sluggishly began to close, wiping away her view of the forest. Returning to unconsciousness, which was now an undesired familiarity, her mind struggled to fight itself from sleep, as she knew it would lead to death. It wouldn't be possible to survive another night.

Ophelia struggled to shake herself awake. She did not want to be plagued with apathy for even another second. With newfound strength surpassing the weakness she contracted from the cold, she pushed herself up to a standing position. Dizziness ensued, but she managed to keep herself balanced, and soon she was walking again.

Ophelia put her hand over her pocket. She remembered the reason she was in the forest, and she kept telling herself over and over again in her head that everything would work out. She knew it was a very unlikely possibility, but hope was all she had left.

_Aaron was all she had left._

_~The Tower of Shalott, 1st Floor~_

Winter breathed crisp air down Aaron's throat, scratching it with dryness. He continued up the tower steps, the silence of tower only being broken by the reverberations of his shoes hitting the cold, gray stones. The dimly lit building interior contributed to the frigid feelings, forcing Aaron to cross his arms to huddle himself in warmth. How could the inside of the tower be colder than the snow surrounding it?

Aaron was halfway up the stairs. The echoes of his footfalls rang in his ears like a hypnotic beat, faster than his breathing. Uneasy feelings fluttered in his stomach, sinking as he ascended. He stopped as soon as he set foot on the first floor, and he glanced around the room, which was in the shape of a perfect circle again. The room was even darker than the first, and everything was bathed in blue light. Aaron glanced around the room; it was empty except an indistinguishable object at its center, much larger than the paper in the previous room, and perhaps even larger than himself. He walked closer to see what it was, and when he did, it moved.

It was Pierce.

Aaron blinked. Again, he blinked, but his eyes were not deceiving him. The eagle was definitely there, sitting serenely in silence.

Pierce looked up and saw Aaron, who stood above him in shock. The eagle knew that there was not much time left, but the moment was likely the last he would ever have with his friend.

"Pierce? What are you-"

Pierce interrupted Aaron with a soft voice, "That doesn't matter. You don't have much time with me, both here in the tower and in reality."

Aaron blinked again. _What happened to Pierce? Why isn't his voice normal, and why is he in the tower? _"What do you mean? Are you saying this tower… isn't real?"

No answer.

Aaron continued, "Why did Pelly want me to come here?"

"No, listen." Pierce said sternly, "I know I was never really someone you could talk to about your problems, but know that I care about you. You have to keep going, I'm just wasting your time. I want to be there for you, but…"

"I know you care, and you aren't wasting my time." Aaron asserted.

Pierce shook his head, "No, I am."

Aaron was slightly disconcerted, and worry was written all over his face. What was all of this about? Things were terribly wrong, "Pierce, what was that about the tower not being real?"

"You have to hurry, Aaron…" Pierce pleaded, ignoring his question, "If you want to, you can save yourself from… this."

"But what should I do?"

"That is something only you can tell yourself."

Aaron rolled his eyes, "Hey, I'm being serious here…"

Pierce stretched his wings and got onto his feet. Aaron couldn't tell earlier, but when he looked into Pierce's eyes, for the first time, he saw that they were wet. _Pierce, crying? _Pierce's voice softened again, "You better go. It's been nice knowing you, Aaron. I wish the decisions we've made didn't have to lead to this, but…"

"What?"

Pierce directed Aaron's focus to the stairs behind him, "I can't go with you, but you can't stay here either. You have to hurry."

Aaron nodded without a word, and he hugged his friend for the first and last time. Pierce whispered, "I'll miss you." as he loosened his death grip, finally allowing Aaron some air. Aaron smiled, looked to the stairs, and began to walk away, crying quietly to himself. Saying goodbye was a terrible thing. Aaron wondered why he'd never see Pierce again, if the tower really didn't exist. However, when he stopped and turned to where the eagle was standing less than a minute before, he saw nothing. Pierce was gone.


	6. Chapter 5 – God Help Me

**Chapter 5 – God Help Me**

"_Believe me, this wasn't what I wanted."_

_Passing through the town gate, Aaron stepped into Shalott for the first time. It was a lot different than things back at home were… the trees all looked the same, the grass patterned geometrically, and the only building more than two stories was a tower that went past the clouds. With nothing in his hands or pockets, he began walking awkwardly towards a brown building in the distance, glancing back and forth._

"_Hey, new guy, what's your name?"_

_Aaron gaped at the blue eagle. 'Why is an animal talking to me? Am I going crazy?'_

"_You're pretty shy for a guy your size, aren't ya." The blue bird flexed, "Well, I'm Pierce; nice to meet ya. We should go work out sometime." _

_Aaron nodded, mouth still open. Pierce raised a feathery eyebrow before turning to walk away._

"_W-wait!" Aaron stuttered. He thought to himself, 'don't worry; this is normal. Of course there would be animals in Animal Crossing; talking to them is normal.' Pierce stopped and looked over his shoulder, half smiling, half confused. Aaron went on, "Could you help me out a bit? I'm… sorta lost."_

"_Haha, sure." The bird motioned Aaron over, "Where you headed?"_

"I'm not sure…"

Pierce thought for a bit, "You're moving in. right?"

"Yeah."

Pierce pointed in the direction Aaron was heading, "Town Hall is that brown building over there, but if you have me, you don't really need a map yet. We can go stop by Nook's place to see if we can get you a house."

_Aaron's eyes wandered, looking back to make sure he was following Pierce every few seconds. The sky was a vibrant blue; pixelated clouds infrequently drifted by. Aaron saw what he thought could've been a UFO, but when he blinked it had already moved off-screen. Feeling a need to fill the silence, Pierce spoke again, "So… I'm glad you're moving in. Everyone else around here is a girl, so it can get pretty lonely at-"_

"Everyone's a girl?" Aaron blurted, having a face somewhere between curiosity and surprise.

"_Hey, man… Don't get any ideas, now."_

Aaron shook his head and impulsively raised his hands a bit, "No, no! That's not what I meant. I mean, isn't that just a little… odd for a town?"

_Pierce cocked his head, " Well… there's Nook, Blathers, Tortimer… yeah, there are other guys here. They just aren't the kind of guys I'd hang with, ya know? This town is actually pretty small… so I guess it isn't unusual, considering…"_

_The duo headed towards the river, crossing a narrow stone bridge. Aaron peered into the cool, blue water. It appeared to be unnaturally clean, but that was probably just because he was too used to pollution. Silhouettes of fish could be seen leisurely swimming with the current._

_Noticing his interest in the river, Pierce said, "Hey, I should get you a fishing rod when we get to Nook's shop. We can head down to the lake and catch some Bowfin and Catfish."_

_Aaron shoved his hands into his pockets, "You'd really do that?"_

"_Sure. Our town is special, you have to check out its lake; it's huge. Best place to fish, miles in any direction… with the exception of the ocean, of course."_

_Aaron flashed his white teeth in a crooked smile, "Haha, thanks."_

_Pierce, now casually walking backwards, held out a wing, "So… friends?"_

"Sure." Aaron replied, shaking it with a firm grip.

_The grass beneath them became stone, and Pierce mumbled, "Well… here we are. Now, let's see what we can do about your house…"_

~The Tower of Shalott, 2nd Floor~

Following the next staircase led Aaron into blackness. The light from the previous floor rose up to meet it, only to be swallowed whole a few feet into the dark. Aaron resorted to cautiously feeling the air in front of him, sliding inch by inch as he tried to make his way to the next staircase. It would be a far walk, but he surmised he'd get there since he knew the general direction.

His fingers bent as they made contact with something. It was too quick to be the wall on the other side, but after Aaron identified it with his hands, he realized it was a wall, just not the one he was looking for.

Leaving his only source of light, Aaron followed the wall forward, hoping it would end at some point.

It did. Aaron, now continuing his blind walk, left the wall and began his snail-pace sidestepping down the path where the wall ended. He wasn't quite sure where he was anymore, but he assumed it wouldn't be hard to figure out. Things seemed to be going great, at least until he hit another wall.

Aaron punched it, soft enough so he wouldn't hurt himself. He's learned to be careful about that. Now, he realized he was lost in a maze, and he feared he'd die before he got out. It was fricking cold, and darkness is never a comfortable place to be alone in. Aaron put his back to the wall and slid down into a resting position. The cold air was draining the energy right out of his mouth with every breath, with every heartbeat. Why was it so chilly all of a sudden? Maybe it was time to give up.

Aaron muttered under his breath, "No, I can't give up now. I have to keep going." The frigid feelings were all in his head, otherwise he would've reacted to them sooner, "It's all in your head Aaron… all in your head." He stood back up, put both hands on the wall, and he began following it, quickening his pace now that he had a guide. This strategy seemed to work for most mazes, so this probably wouldn't be an exception.

After awhile, as Aaron arduously advanced, he began to notice a weak, red light. It gradually grew brighter as he drew closer, and soon it was painting his path, outlining the walls with a malevolent, crimson hue. He left the wall's side and began speed walking down the pathways, trying to ignore the eerie feelings the light sent as it spread, soaking into his skin. His breathing became heavy, and his weariness began to slow him down, but he turned one last corner and found himself in an open room.

His hope sparked and left in an instant when he realized it wasn't the end of the maze; it was the middle of it. He was only halfway out, but that wasn't even his worse realization. He now knew what the red light was for.

On the floor was a body, and it wasn't asleep. A pool of liquid surrounded it and soaked its clothes, and it wasn't tomato sauce. It was Victoria.

Aaron looked at his friend, but emotion didn't strike him. It wasn't because she was often annoying; that would've been a poor excuse as to why the tsunami hadn't struck and flooded his eyes. Aaron just …couldn't. It made him feel sick. He stood there, petrified, horrified with what he saw, but he couldn't pull his eyes away. He couldn't move a muscle.

He stood there for countless minutes as if Victoria's body was Medusa's gaze, only moving to shiver from the lack of warmth. Then he noticed something odd. Victoria's neck was twisted at an odd, unnatural angle. It was definitely broken, but judging by the holes in her body it seemed that it was done after she died. Her empty eyes stared past Aaron at the wall behind him, unblinking. Aaron looked into her lifeless irises before following their gaze to the wall behind him.

On the wall were four red words, crudely smudged on and barely legible…

_tIme iS ruNNing out_

_—–—_

"_Hey," Victoria cried, "You better hurry the fuck up, Aaron. We don't have much time left!"_

_Aaron gulped. What did this monster beside him do with Victoria? She was completely different when it came to this sort of thing, "Yeah, yeah… I'm coming."_

Victoria and Aaron moved along. There were multiple branches of the cave system, but Aaron didn't need to think. Victoria knew where she was going, so all he had to do was follow her. The scene shifted… the cave opened up. The abyss came up to meet the floor. Not phased, the two explorers dashed down the precarious ledge; it was a snake weaving across the black pit like a spider web. Mist rose from the darkness. The path went further down, but it seemed to be close to the finish. Other creatures moved around, towards them, closer and closer. They passed by unbothered, however; they were too fast and too far ahead to be caught. Things became chaotic the farther they went. It was definitely the right path; the end would be coming soon. Aaron didn't know whether he should've been excited or full of dread. He at least couldn't describe the sensation that coursed through his body as if he ate something his stomach didn't agree with. Victoria's hair flowed as her speed made the stale air hit her like artic breath. Aaron was doing his best to keep up… he had to.

_Victoria blew out hot air, "Aaron, time is running out!" _

"_I know, I know!" Victoria began to move faster, and Aaron struggled to stay close behind. They were headed in the right direction, but the path narrowed and took its winding a step further. Even thinking of sprinting here was insane… but it was done. Monsters were fended off and obstacles in the path were cleared. Rapid movement and noisy clicks. They stared intently… a screen within a screen._

_Aaron asked, "Can I fall off these ledges?" but Victoria was too focused to answer. They were almost there._

_Almost there, with little time left, and then he tripped. It was a shock to him, completely unexpected. One slip of his foot and he slid a bit too far, over the edge. Aaron screamed in annoyance as he plunged into darkness. He was pissed; the fact that it happened right after he asked about it was infuriating._

_Pierce walked into the room, "Hey guys, what are you playing?"_

Victoria pouted, "Nothing now. We WERE playing some FF, but Aaron here sucks balls, and he died right before we got to the boss."

"_Hey," Aaron said, "If you didn't take us on a detour to find some crystals, we wouldn't have run out of time in the first place. I would've been more careful if we weren't rushing."_

_Pierce shook his head, "Calm down people… geez… Anyway, Aaron, are you ready to go yet? Don't tell me I walked to Victoria's house for nothing." Victoria glared at Aaron with a medusa-like gaze, but he wasn't frozen in fear. She was scary, but he wasn't going to let himself be affected by that. However, he did wonder how such a sweet girl could become such a demon when she played videogames, but maybe that was what made spending time with her so much fun._

_Aaron smiled as he put his controller down, "Don't worry, Victoria… we can go catch bugs later, or maybe try that level again. I have something important to do now though."_

Victoria rolled her eyes, "It's not about HER again, is it?"

Pierce laughed and answered, "Nah… it isn't," and he turned to Aaron, "So… you ready?" Aaron nodded, waved goodbye to Victoria, and headed out the door.


	7. Chapter 6 – Dead is the New Alive

**Chapter 6: Dead is the New Alive**

"_You play the game; you never win."_

_~The Tower of Shalott, 3rd Floor~_

From dark to light, the rooms shifted. Aaron was blinded before the reached the top step, and he took some time to readjust his eyes. The room was unnaturally white. The walls, the floor, the ceiling… everything was padded. Daisy sat in a straightjacket at the center, faced towards the stairs Aaron came up from.

"D-Daisy?"

Her vacant eyes focused, and she smiled. Aaron knew it wasn't a smile of joy though. "A few steps forward, please," she insisted.

Aaron walked up to her, not realizing the wall closed behind him. Tension tore through his body like a sword; the pressure was getting to him, and his emotions were vulnerable. "What are you doing here?" he inquired through gritted teeth.

Daisy became defensive, "What are you talking about? You were expecting me, weren't you? I wouldn't be here otherwise."

"No," Aaron exclaimed, "That's not what I meant." He sank down to his knees, now at eye-level with the dog. His lips shut like sliding doors, and they looked at each other. There were no sounds, but for a moment Aaron thought he heard rustling and splashing in the distance. He shook himself, recollected his thoughts and continued speaking, "Daisy, this isn't right. Why are you bound like this in a padded room? You aren't crazy, I'm sure of it."

"What are you blubbering about, Aaron? We might've been through hell together, but even now, you don't know me. You never will."

Aaron snorted, "I know you well enough to tell that you're not serious. We both know you don't belong here… like this."

"Heh, you caught me. I was hoping you'd just leave me be and move on quickly in your anger, but I guess that if talking is what you want, there's no avoiding it." Daisy's head drooped a bit. This time around, her lost was shared, "Make it quick, Aaron. Every second is precious."

"Well… you haven't answered my question, have you? Start there."

Daisy paused, "I… hmm… let's just say I'm here as a replacement. I can't really say why though. Seriously, Aaron… you should just go on ahead while you still have time."

Aaron lifted his eyebrow, now looking at her with suspicion. He got up, "You know… something's odd about all of this. The way you're acting… it's different."

"Hmm?"

"You're… you're not really Daisy, are you? Who the hell am I talking to?"

The dog in the straightjacket inhaled sharply. After a long pause, she muttered, "I guess you could say that." Aaron scooted back a bit, now uncomfortable. Daisy explained, "Well, I am Daisy; if you want to test me, feel free. There's simply a lot more to this than you can understand. I'm her, I'm not her… really; it's all up to you."

"What the hell are you talking about? You're not making any fricking sense!"

"Oh, so NOW you get angry, eh? Listen. You want to find Ophelia, right?"

Aaron nodded.

Daisy smiled, "Glad we have that down. So, if you want to find her, you're going to have to leave me right now. Forget about this nonsense and go up the tower. Fast, now. Stop dawdling about, the light's already been red for a while."

"What?"

"The stairs. Go up them. Now. Your life is in danger, Aaron. You already know it; you just need to make the realization."

Aaron didn't move at first, despite the urgency in Daisy's voice. His shoulders slacked, and his body relaxed. He slowly started walking. "…Daisy, I'll miss you," he whispered, and he headed to the stairs at the far side of the room.

Daisy trembled; Aaron knew whom he was really talking to. She let her body relax. Then, she wilted.

—–—

Ophelia was still on her death march through the forest. Her throat was raw, her voice reduced to a whisper. She staggered in her laggard walk, but pain wasn't even a factor. In fact, she felt none. The numbness was relieving in a way.

It scared her, though. The pain was comforting; it helped her remember she was still alive. Now, she felt like she was just in some hazy dream, and walking was just a bother. Sitting down and waiting for the storm to pass would have been more logical, right? It couldn't have been long until she woke. Then a face flashed in her mind. It reminded her why she was out there.

It reminded her why she needed to keep going.

She felt her pocket, and the familiar lump was still there. She felt temptation, but it wasn't the right time yet. She couldn't just give up after getting this far… that would be pathetic. For once, she had to be the strong one. Ophelia continued her struggled pace, fighting the shivers.

"I don't know where you are, Aaron," she wheezed, " but I'm coming."

_~The Tower of Shalott, 4th Floor~_

The next set of steps wound around and around the wall. Higher and higher, Aaron climbed. The fourth floor was further up than he would've expected.

The room was bathed in green light, which colored the mist clouding the air. Aaron ascended the stairs to a raised platform, one of three. Water filled the rest of the room, deep to a point where you could not see the bottom. The surface was still, but the room was not lifeless.

In the center of the room, a circular platform raised up, above the other two. Aaron tried to see through the fog; he knew there was someone up there.

"Expecting someone else?"

Aaron froze. Hatred filled his body. Snickers came from above, and although it was hard to see, Aaron knew who he was in the room with. It was him. Aaron restrained his voice. He couldn't look up, there was no way he could and keep his cool. He said, "What are you doing here."

Justin chuckled, "Is that a question or a statement? … I mean, sure, that stupid pelican isn't here, but didn't you already say your goodbyes back in town hall? I didn't have anything to do with any of this anyway, so whatever."

"Then why are you here?"

"You should know. By the way, how'd you like the surprise on the second floor? I wish I could've seen the look on your face, haha."

Images of the horse flashed in Aaron's head. The liquid… everywhere… Aaron saw red once again. This guy knew how to push his buttons, and he did so relentlessly. Aaron shouted, "You BITCH! What did you do to Victoria?"

Justin began laughing again, "Me? What did Ido? You have got to be kidding. I didn't do anything… you did."

"What are you talking about?"

Justin slowly lifted his arm, and the fog cleared. Aaron gasped. He saw Justin's face, but it wasn't Justin's. It was his. Justin smirked, "You see… you and I are one and the same."

"You're lying!"

Justin paused for a bit, then he smiled fiendishly, "… Am I?"

Aaron turned away, "I wouldn't hurt Victoria… and I'd never hurt Ophelia. Not like you did. We aren't the same, and we will never be."

Justin raised an eyebrow, "Hmm… 'Never hurt Ophelia', you say? Are you sure about that?"

"I know what you did to her, what you STILL do. You're a really shitty boyfriend. I wouldn't treat her like crap; but for some reason she clings to you like you mean everything to her. I don't fricking get that."

"I've done bad things… sure. I've hurt her, and I don't think I'll stop. I have never threatened her life, though. Remember that, and maybe you'll see who the true villain is here."

Aaron felt his rage growing in strength, "I don't get what you're saying. Who do you think she went to every time you hurt her?"

Justin began laughing. His haunting voice echoed around the round walls of the room, "I could ask you the same question. Like I said… you and I are one and the same." He smiled, and he put his arm back down. The fog came back and swallowed him, "Heh, I've had my fun. It's too late now; instead of rushing up the tower, you squandered your time in an argument with me. It's really such a shame too; Ophelia was right up the stairs over there. Oh well, at least one of us enjoyed it."

Aaron looked over the edge. The water was about a foot down. If the platform at the stairs on the other side was the same height, he could probably swim across and leave. He stuck his foot in. The water was ice cold, but he had no other choice, right? Aaron took a deep breath, and he plunged in.

"…Aaron?" Justin called out. He heard the splash. Justin shook his head in disappointment, "Do you really think you can get out of this room?"

Aaron didn't answer.

"Okay then," Justin muttered, "This is your mind, so drown in it."

Justin pointed at the water. A current started raging through it, making it impossible to cross. The violent water did nothing, however, for Aaron was already climbing up the other side.

Justin frowned, "Fine then, Aaron. Do what you like. Either way, you aren't going to get out of this alive. That has already been decided from the moment you started playing."

Aaron dashed up the stairs, but they were endless. Justin, or whoever that thing with his voice was, said there wasn't any time left, and he was right. Aaron continued to sprint as fast as he could anyway. He wasn't worried about not reaching the top though; he was worried about the last thing Justin told him before he left the room.

"_Hmm… 'Never hurt Ophelia', you say? Are you sure about that? … I've done bad things… sure. I've hurt her, and I don't think I'll stop. I have never threatened her life, though. Remember that, and maybe you'll see who the true villain is here."_

What did Justin mean by all of this? Aaron tried to remember, but he couldn't think of any time where he put Ophelia's life in jeopardy. He wanted to know what he did. He wanted to know what crime he could have committed to be Justin, to be a monster.

Aaron's body shivered. He was cold, exhausted, and out of time. Being wet made things even worse. His heart sank; it would be impossible for him to reach the top. All he wanted was to see Ophelia one more time, but it appeared he had failed. Falling over and never moving again never looked so tempting before, but Aaron felt his body succumbing. His breathing was weakened, and fatigue had gotten the best of him. However, just as he was about to give in, he saw the top of the stairs.

The fifth floor.

Ophelia.

—–—

Chris tossed in his sheets. It wasn't the first time he was unpleasantly awoken that week, but he was in a bad mood. The rain wasn't making him feel any better either. His phone rang. He grumbled to himself, reached over, and picked it up. The number read: Harold Davis. Chris checked the clock on his nightstand, and it read 3:06. Chris frowned, "This better be important." He put the phone up to his ear and answered, "Hello?"

The voice on the other side of the line sounded mortified. Without casual greetings and such, Davis said, "Chris, you know that case you were working on the other day?"

Chris blurted, "Don't tell me you actually found that idiot."

"No, we didn't. This is something bad. Really bad."

"W-what? What happened? The kid wasn't found dead, right?"

Harold didn't answer right away. For a second, Chris actually thought they found the body, but Harold continued talking again, "…You know how the boy and the girl you researched were close, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, the girl's parents' called. She hasn't been home since that day. We don't have one missing person… we have two."

—–—

Seeing the top, Aaron found the energy to begin sprinting again. Despite what Justin said… did he really make it? Aaron shook his negative thoughts; he couldn't believe he'd reached the end. He practically flew up the steps, getting closer and closer. He was almost there.

"Almost there…"

Three steps… two steps… one. He made it.

"Ophelia?" he called out.

The center of the room was empty. Aaron was confused, but then he heard something from the far end of the room. A voice. It was faint, but he recognized it. Aaron began to look towards the back of the room, but before his eyes reached it, he realized what had happened. To his horror, the red light blinked.

"Shit! No, please not now!" he screamed.

It blinked two times more. The light… the colors faded. Everything went dark.


	8. Chapter 7 – I Know Where You Sleep

**Chapter 7: I Know Where You Sleep**

"_You play the victim very well…"_

Ophelia trudged onwards. She didn't know where she was, but she didn't care anymore. She didn't even care if she'd survive another night. Without him, it wouldn't be worth bothering. It was pitch black, but she continued walking.

_I'm not afraid of the dark. I'm not afraid of the dark…_

She whispered to herself, repeating the words over and over again. Trying to keep calm. Trying to keep moving on. Ophelia habitually checked her pocket every few seconds, reassuring herself. It was still there. She had a way out, just in case she needed it. It didn't matter though; she figured she'd rather die than leave without him.

Ophelia stumbled a bit. Her breath was slow and weak; she didn't think she'd make it much further. Her mind became muddled. Thoughts twisted and tangled, and Ophelia struggled to keep focused. Unsteadily, she continued. She wasn't shivering anymore, but it was still cold. It appeared this was a hopeless effort, but Ophelia didn't want to give up yet.

She looked up and pleaded, "Hey, if you're out there… Well, I'm probably being the foolish one here, but please… just this once. I shouldn't be asking this… but can you at least let me see him one last time?"

She felt tears, so slowly closed her mouth and continued walking. She only wanted one thing…

_Did I really expect something to happen? That was stupid of me. Really stupid. Well… looks like this is the end…_

… but just then, she heard it.

"Shit!"

It was faint, but Ophelia heard it coming from her left. _It couldn't be… it's all in my mind… _she thought, _I couldn't possibly have heard him through this rain._

"No, please not now!"

Ophelia's heart stopped. It was impossible to see, and she knew there would be trees, but none of that mattered. She looked up, into the rain, "… Thanks." Tears rolled down, and she swallowed. Ophelia felt her pocket again, and she nodded to herself. She slowly turned…

And then she ran.

—–—

_A young boy sat alone in the corner of the playground boundaries. The fence was on two sides of him, and he huddled against it in his timidity. The grass around him was a vibrant green, and he liked that. There wasn't much else he liked about this new place though. He looked up and around. A large group of other kids were on the jungle gym, the swings, and the slides. Loud chattering and giggles came from all directions. They seemed to be enjoying themselves. The boy smiled. He wished he could be like them, but he couldn't. He didn't belong._

_He brought his face closer to the ground, and admired the bugs that crawled underneath the damp blades, scavenging across the forests of green for any specks of food they could find. The bugs intrigued him, but no one else seemed to notice them. The other kids were too busy enjoying themselves together. He was alone._

_The boy looked downcast, occasionally surveying his surroundings, making sure no one got close. The bell would ring soon, and he could go back inside. He longed for the familiar, yet unfamiliar ring. He wanted the day to end. He wanted to go home… or at least what he now had to call home. This wasn't where he was meant to be. This was a foreign place; it was simply a dream. He asked his mom before for reasons for them being here, but none of her answers satisfied him, "We didn't move here," he'd tell himself, "We're only here until mom leaves Jim. We'll be going home soon."_

_A few times before, other kids had tried to talk to him, but he shied away. He couldn't risk making friends; this was only a temporary place, a vacation. This was a horrible, horrible vacation… and all he wished for was the long drive back home. He looked around. Sure, the skies were always clear, it was warm, and the neighborhood was safe… it wasn't a bad place at all. It wasn't bad, but it was… because it wasn't home. It didn't feel right._

_The boy looked up, hearing noise increasing in volume. Some of the kids had decided to play freeze tag on the grass, and their group had drifted close to the fence near him. Wide-eyed, he pushed back, pressing his body to the fence. They weren't people he knew, and they weren't people he wanted to know. He wished they'd just stay farther away; he didn't want to have to see them._

_He didn't want them to see how alone he felt._

_Nervously, the boy pushed his finger into the moist dirt and began digging a small hole. It was gross, but he figured he could use it as an excuse to wash his hands later. He lowered his head, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone._

_"Hi!"_

_The boy tensed. The squeaky voice was loud, meaning whoever was talking was close. Maybe the greeting wasn't directed at him._

_"Hi!"_

_Nope, it was. He didn't want to look up, but he did._

_In front of him was a girl with red hair, tied up into pigtails. Grass stains were visible on her white dress; she was one of the kids running around earlier. She smiled cheerfully. Her moss green eyes twinkled, but there was a shadowy feeling behind the smile. She asked him, "Were you tagged?"_

_The boy replied shakily, "What do you mean?"_

_The girl giggled, "I thought not. I'm Ophelia. Who are you?"_

_He stayed silent, but the girl didn't lose interest. She didn't go back and join the others. Realizing he couldn't shake her, the boy said, "I dunno. I just wanna go home." He tried to avert his eyes; he didn't want to look directly at her._

_Ophelia giggled again, "You're different… aren't you?"_

_"Different?"_

_"Yes. You aren't like them," she said, pointing to the kids scattered around the playground, "You're like me."_

_"I suppose."_

_"My mommy says I was on the TV. I think that's why I'm different… I don't remember. I just am," she explained, "…Have you been on the TV too? Do you get those scary dreams? I don't like them."_

_The boy answered, now more confidently, "TV? No, I haven't been on TV before. I do get scary dreams too, though. Oh, and I'm Aaron."_

_"Aaron? That's a silly name." Ophelia said, giggling._

_"Silly?"_

_"Yes!" she said, grinning, "So… friends?"_

_"S-sure."_

_"We're going to be good friends. The bestest of friends ever."_

_Aaron tried to smile, but he couldn't fake anything. It was okay though; she didn't seem to notice or care. Ophelia held her hand out to him. Aaron lifted his hand a bit, but put it back down, "Huh?"_

_"You're coming… right? To play."_

_"No… I don't think so. I like it here."_

_Ophelia nodded, "Okay. Maybe tomorrow. Bye-bye, Aaron!" With that, she bounced off back into the game, blending in with the crowd of children. She didn't stay long enough to see, of course… but what she didn't realize was that, at that moment, for the first time since Aaron moved… he smiled._

—–—

The clouds were still thick overhead, but it had somehow stopped raining entirely, all in a matter of minutes. And even in her carelessness, Ophelia had not rammed into any trees. Things were uncannily in her favor, in a way that made it look like things would be turning out okay after all. A few feet more, and she passed trees into a small clearing of some sort… much like the one she had last seen Aaron in. Ophelia slowed to a halt. She didn't need to see to know he was there; she heard his breath.

"...Aaron?"

He continued breathing, but he didn't reply. She called his name again, but by then she didn't expect a response. At least he was still breathing… that was a good sign, right? She began to make her way over to him. It was a miracle she found him, but things were obviously not going too well. Ophelia reached into her pocket and took out her phone, using it to illuminate Aaron's body. He appeared to be asleep, but it was hard to imagine him falling asleep in a place like this. His DS was on the floor next to him, off, of course. Ophelia scowled. _What the hell is he doing with that?_

"Aaron, Aaron! Wake up. Please, wake up. Please…" She grabbed him and shook him, but he remained unconscious. Ophelia felt her eyes watering again, "We're going to get through this; we're going to survive," she told herself, "We are going to survive."

Ophelia felt his hand. It was cold. His shallow breaths and his faint heartbeat told her he was still alive, but his temperature filled her with dread. Then again, she probably felt the same.

"Don't worry, Aaron. I'll get us out of this wretched forest alive. Here, I'll keep you warm. Stay with me. Please, just hang in there for a little while longer."

He was heavy, but Ophelia lifted Aaron and wrapped her arms around him. It didn't matter if he wasn't giving off any heat; suddenly, Ophelia felt warmth. She punched three numbers into her phone and hit the green button. All was silent. Ophelia laid her phone down on the ground and wept. She didn't know where she was anymore, or even if she was still alive. All she knew was that she didn't want to let go. Ever.

Finally, the drowsiness overpowered her. For the last time in the forest, Ophelia's eyes closed.


	9. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

"_Life is not like a gloomy Sunday, with a second ending when the people are disturbed. Well, they should be disturbed… because there's a lesson that really ought to be learned."_

There was blindness. Ophelia couldn't see anything; she couldn't talk, or even move… but she felt warm. She felt warm, and that was all that mattered. Something was beeping nearby, but Ophelia was pretty sure it wasn't a bomb. For a while, she lay there in semi-consciousness, not knowing or caring what happened. Then, her eyes flicked open.

Above her was nothing but white. She was indoors. Struggling to lift her head, she grunted as she tried to get a better view of her surroundings. The noise signaled her parents, who were soon at her side.

"Ophelia!"

Ophelia was confused. She was in a bed, with blankets piled over her body. An IV was attached to her arm, and machinery surrounded the room. Her parents were now at her side, and she saw her boyfriend sitting in a chair on the side, staring at his feet.

"M-mom? Dad?" she said weakly, "What happened?"

Her father replied, "You don't remember? You-"

"The doctor said short-term memory loss is a common symptom of hypothermia," said her mom, cutting in, "Ophelia, dear… You… You ran out to the forest a few nights ago and never came back. We thought you were at Justin's house, but there was a storm, and… well, we're just thankful that you're safe now."

Guilt stirred in Ophelia's stomach. _Why would I do such a stupid thing? _She saw the tears of relief in her mother's eyes and began to feel like crying too. Ophelia didn't remember what happened, but she felt bad for it, "I'm so sorry, mom. Dad. I don't know why I would have ever done something so recklessly."

"Oh, no. Don't feel bad. It may have been reckless, but we understand why you went. It's not your fault; we're just glad you woke up."

Ophelia felt odd about something with all of this. _What are they talking about? When would it ever be okay for me to nearly kill myself? _She tried to remember, but she couldn't. She was still weak; she could hardly speak. Her parents looked at her with joy, but there were other feelings lingering… she could see it in their eyes, "Wait… what exactly happened?"

"Well…" her mom explained, "You know your friend?"

"Aaron?"

"He… he had mental problems. The police said so."

Ophelia coughed and replied sarcastically, "Don't we all?"

"Well… he went missing, and the police investigated his house and his belongings. From what we're guessing… he went out to meet someone, but he ended up running into the depths of the forest. Then, you went after him." She paused for a bit, and tried to avoid Ophelia's eyes, "We don't know what happened after that, but the emergency hotline ended up tracing a call from you and we were able to find both of you."

Ophelia was lost in thought for a short amount of time, and then it clicked. She didn't remember a lot of it, but the argument… the desperation… finding him… the memories were trickling back in. She grinned. _So… I got what I asked for. Against all odds. "_I guess I made it in time after all,_"_ she thought out loud, whispering as she cried.

"No, honey…" her mom uttered solemnly, "You were too late. We were too late. Aaron's… dead."

—–—

_One Year Later…_

_—–—_

The cemetery was huge. Ophelia found it hard to imagine that each stone signified a life. Each stone represented someone's life. Someone that had feelings, dreams, and memories. Someone that was loved. The graves spread across the grass like hundreds of flowers. It was a depressing thought.

For the first time since the funeral, she decided she'd visit _him_. It was hard to imagine that it had already been a year since everything changed. At first, she pretended that it never happened; she pretended things would be the same, but denial didn't work out after all. Now, it was time to face him, and fully accept what had happened.

She scanned names carved into the tombstones, and at last she arrived at her destination, "I promised I wouldn't cry," she muttered, "but… I miss you Aaron. I really do. …This is the final goodbye, isn't it? A new town… new faces… I guess my life's just beginning. There will never be anyone like you though. I'll never forget; I promise." She held up the blue book she brought, "So, um… it's on the last page."

Ophelia knelt down and placed the book on the grave.

—–—

_Dear Aaron,_

_I feel stupid for writing this, because I know you won't be able to read it, but here I am… writing in a book that isn't even mine. Your mom gave me this, and I read it. I read all of it. Don't get mad at her though, and don't feel embarrassed; I'm really glad I have this book in my hands. You've helped me… and it sucks so much for me to see that it took your death to help me realize what was happening. You may have run off on you own, but it wasn't your fault. It was mine. I'm so sorry, Aaron. I'm sorry. _

_And… I never knew about your condition. You've always seemed pretty normal to me, actually… and maybe that's what you wanted to be, so that's why I wasn't told. It doesn't matter to me though, you're still the same Aaron to me, and I really hope I'll see you again some day. I am kinda disappointed that you ran off to play some lame game, but I'm also a little guilty. I shouldn't have let you down. I shouldn't have been so fucking stupid. Ugh, I feel like crap for the way I acted. But… your videogames did mean a lot to you, didn't they? Haha. It's a shame I never got into them; we could've spent more time together. Oh, and yeah. Your mom gave me your game stuff as well, idk why; I forgot to mention that. Maybe I'll learn to play something just in case I need to next time we… well, yeah._

_I may have been too late for you, but when it came down to me and my mistakes, you weren't. I didn't realize you were always there, and now I see how foolish I was. Anyway, you might be happy to know that I broke up with Justin. After what I read in this… things have been different. Really different.  
_

_I really don't know what's going to happen with my life, but I'm going to keep my head high. I'm going to miss you, but that won't stop me from smiling sometime, hopefully soon. I'm moving away for college now, and… well, I can't say I'm happy about it. Gah… I really don't know what to write. I wish you were here. Life's going to be a big adventure, and not having you as part of it is going to suck, haha. But this isn't the end of everything, this is only the beginning. One day, I'm going to see you again, and I'll tell you all about it._

_Ophelia_

* * *

_**Author's note:**_

I don't really know what to say. That's the end of it. Hope you enjoyed it, and if you have anything that I should improve if I rewrite this, please tell me!

Thanks for reading.


	10. Easter Special

**Dougie's 2011 Fanfiction Competition: Easter Challenge**

Samhain Park, a popular destination for outdoor activities known for its perpetual autumn state. Red and orange hues contrasted with the clear blue sky. Small clouds morphed and swirled in the sky like shapes in a kaleidoscope. A small child with red hair looked upwards in awe of the park's beauty. She stood on the stone path that wove through the grass, her arms clutched around her pastel pink dress. Unlike a normal day in the park, it was silent. Silent and still. Easter meant church, family time, or sleeping in… so the park was almost empty. The young girl was alone.

It seemed that she embraced her solitude. Was it courage or ignorance that caused her to wander off on her own? The girl's pupils dilated as they went from tree to tree in the park. What was she searching for? The tiny trees bent in the gentle wind, but they didn't reveal anything. There was no sign of any humans. For a girl her age, it was unusual that she displayed no signs of fear. Rather, the smile on her face and the twinkle in her large eyes showed the opposite.

A tiny voice piped up from her throat, "Jack, stop hiding; we need to find the eggs mommy said they hide for Easter!"

Another voice answered from behind a nearby tree, "Sorry Ophelia, but you're going to have to catch me first!" A short, brown haired boy that appeared to be a few years older than her peeked out from behind the trunk, before dashing off.

"Hey! I'll catch you, Jack… I will!" she shouted in her squeaky voice, giggling as she ran after the boy. It was still early morning, so they would probably have time to find the eggs later anyway. Worrying was the last thing on the six year-old's mind. She dashed across the grass, taking long strides for one with stubby legs. Flowers and clovers were trampled, but she took no notice. The chase might have continued if she did not step on one of the plastic eggs by chance. The plastic shell cracked immediately, spilling its contents onto the lush, bug-infested floor beneath her. Ophelia knelt down and scooped its contents up in her delicate hands. The familiar wrapper of her favorite generic, fruit-flavored candy lit her face up, "Jack, Jack, Jaaack!" she exclaimed, "I found one!"

The boy stopped heading the opposing direction, turned back, and shrugged. He returned to Ophelia as she danced giddily and said, "There's only cheap candy in these things, so why bother?"

Ophelia pouted, "What? Mommy told us that Easter eggs are special things only for rich people. That's why she took us to the park… remember? We need to go find some! Please? … Pretty please?" Again, Jack shrugged, and he continued to stand with a blank expression shown in his pale, brown eyes.

"I'm pretty sure all of the eggs are gone already; the other kids probably found them all at the festival yesterday." he muttered pessimistically. However, an idea popped into his head. His mouth curved upwards, revealing his crooked smile, and he turned to run off again. Ophelia followed.

Ophelia giggled and called out, "Don't be silly… I'm sure there are more. This park is like a million times the size of our house; there's bound to be some eggs left." Ophelia brushed the red strands of hair out of her face as she continued to skip after her friend. She kept her eyes fixed upon his slender figure running in front of her, occasionally averting them to glance at the tiger butterflies fluttering by. Tirelessly, she followed him to the far end of the park. Jack had led her to wall of large trees.

Jack gazed into the forest depths mischievously. He waited for Ophelia to catch up, knowing her short legs would slow her down. When she walked up to him, still looking into the forest, he slyly said, "I bet there are plenty of eggs in there."

Ophelia, looked at her friend and then into the darkness between the monolithic trunks growing as far as she could see in both directions. She blinked, "Jack, we can't go in there… it's scary."

Jack turned to her, "Exactly. Don't you see? Other kids probably didn't want to go into the forest, so all the eggs in there weren't taken. We can go and get them all for ourselves!"

"But… but… I don't feel good about this place."

Jack smiled again as he took Ophelia's hand, "It's okay, c'mon, we'll be fine." Ophelia reluctantly took his hand and followed; a knot twisted in her stomach. Jack looked at her and wondered… S_he can't really know the truth about the forest, right? Nah, she's too young… it's just… _With a sigh, Jack turned his head to make sure no one was looking, and he furtively pulled Ophelia into the shadows.

"J-jack… this place is dark…" Ophelia muttered, now pulling closer to her companion. Unidentifiable noises flooded her ears as they walked, and her grip on his hand grew tighter.

"It only means it's going to be harder to find the eggs, we'll just have to look harder." he whispered in her ear. Ophelia scanned the undergrowth and knotholes they passed by, hoping for a glimpse of the colors she'd recognize on an Easter egg. Unluckily, she found nothing. They continued deeper into the heart of the forest. Their surroundings grew darker and wilder as they reached more overgrown areas deeper within the forest. At some points, they had to climb over large roots and fallen logs, soiling their clothes with dirt and leaves. Ophelia, however, was determined to find eggs for her mom. She saw the way her mother smiled as she reminisced about them, and she knew that being brave to find some would be worth it. It would be worth it if it meant she would finally see her mom smile again.

Their walk winded through the forest, continuing to distance them from the park. Ophelia calmed her fears soon enough, and soon she was more curious than afraid. Her eyes lit up like sun streaming in open windows, "Oh, look! A bunny rabbit!" Jack followed her doll-like hand to a small rodent it pointed it, which crawled to and down a hole nearby.

"Heh, that isn't a bunny. Let's move faster now; we're almost there."

Ophelia smiled, "Almost to the eggs?"

Jack nodded, "Yeah, the eggs…" Ophelia smiled innocently, completely oblivious to everything, including Jack, as she became lost in her thoughts of sweets. Jack pulled her along, now following a dirt path. His part in the plan was almost done.

—–—

Back in the park, a woman that looked to be in her mid-twenties began stirring from her nap. A yawn escaped her lips and her eyelids parted, allowing sunlight to sting her eyes. Drowsy, she gazed dreamily at the temporal patterns of clouds above her, which came and went without leaving as much as a single drop of rain.

_Wait… clouds?_

The woman flung up into a sitting position. This wasn't her bedroom; she'd drifted asleep somewhere else. Her hand went to her head as she closed her eyes, trying to pull recent memories up to help her recall. It wasn't long before she remembered.

"…Ophelia? Where are you, honey?"

The woman did not see or hear her daughter in any direction. The park was disconcertingly empty, which worried her slightly. She tried to shake her bad thoughts, "That girl," she muttered, "always running off all by herself… I thought she'd be able to make some friends if I took her to the park on a holiday, but I guess she was born to be a loner."

Ophelia's mother smiled, deciding to wait for a while. _She'll return… just give her some time. She's probably looking for rabbits or something…_

Still, she couldn't shake the feeling the gloomy Sunday laid over her like a gray sheet. The breeze felt too cold, the grass too damp. There was something wrong…

It was too quiet.

—–—

A small cabin in a forest clearing…

It seemed to be built entirely out of the wood of the trees surrounding it. A stump with an ax, a pile of logs, a rusted shelf holding an assortment of tools… Dust covered the panes of the windows. Ophelia exclaimed, "Wow, a house!"

Jack wanted to say something in response, but he bit his tongue. That would have been inappropriate for the forums. In silence, they advanced toward the house. Ophelia's footsteps crushed withered grass covering the lawn as they approached the door.

"Are the eggs in there?" she asked. Jack nodded, and he knocked on the door.

Nothing. Ophelia made a face in impatience. She smudged dirt off a nearby window in an attempt to see inside, but it wasn't clear enough.

Suddenly, the door opened, and a low voice called from within, "Come in."

Ophelia walked slowly toward the door in uncertainty. She glanced back as she entered the building, "What about Jack?"

She heard a chuckle, "Jack? There was no Jack."

The door closed.

* * *

**Author's note:**

This was a childhood memory of Ophelia's, so it isn't really related to the main story. I wrote it for a fanfiction contest, as previously mentioned... and I took 4th place overall with this story. Not my best, but it was fun.

As every other chapter has been focused around a song on the Opheliac album, this challenge is about Gothic Lolita, which is a song written about sexual abuse (referencing the book Lolita). This was originally going to be two parts, but I cut it off here. No, I didn't actually intend to put any sexual scenes (or even any scenes implying it) in the special, but you know... that's just how it went in my mind. That might also give you some info on why Ophelia is the way she is. I also really liked how this ended.

Well, that's all there is to Opheliac... at least for the present time. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.


End file.
